New Rides From Devinci

Devinci Launches Three New Carbon Mountain Bikes

You asked; the Canadian company listened

matt phillips

(Photo by The Devinci Atlas Carbon 29er. (Matt Phillips))

It's all your fault. You, the customers, the buying public. You're the reason Devinci is launching three new carbon mountain bike platforms. For years, the Quebec, Canada-based brand has proudly promoted its in-house manufacturing of aluminum-alloy frames in an era when so many other brands have outsourced across the ocean. But, as Devinici's PR man, Gabe Fox, explains, the people want carbon. "They say, 'We love your bikes, but they're not made of carbon.'"

So, Devinci is giving you what you want. The company's three premier Split-Pivot full suspension bikes—Atlas 29er, 110mm travel, Dixon 26er, 145mm travel and Wilson DH bike—are now offered with carbon frames. The frames are made in Asia. "Everything we're capable of doing in house, we do in house,” says Fox. “We're outsourcing what we can't do." The bikes come back to Canada for paint and quality control.

As is usually the case, Devinci claims the carbon frames are stiffer and lighter than their aluminum counterparts. Because the frames are not yet in production, final numbers aren't yet available, but Devinci seems to be expecting significant improvements in both areas. Fox said that they've seen a 30 percent frame stiffness improvement in the carbon Dixon over the aluminum Dixon. Also, Devinci's testers have commented that the carbon frames are noticeably quieter than the aluminum versions. A performance improvement, perhaps not, but it’s a nice side benefit nonetheless. As for durability, the trail has the final say, but Devinci appears to have confidence: All three frames are backed by a lifetime warranty, which is rare for a carbon frame these days.

Frame-only prices are: Wilson, $3,399 (aluminum $3,099), Dixon, $2,399 (aluminum $1800), Atlas, $2,099 (aluminum $1,799). Complete bikes, in several levels, will also be offered. A new addition to Devinci's complete menu is the RX build for the Atlas and Dixon. This build suits a more aggressive rider and features a Fox 34 fork in place of a 32, a wider bar, a shorter stem, bigger tires and a dropper post.

In the kind of serendipity a brand can only dream of, Devinci's carbon mountain bike program got off to a booming start when downhill racer Steve Smith grabbed a bronze at the World Championships in the new frame's first race, followed by a win—his first—at the final race of the season in Hafijell, Norway.